Travel and Traveller Well-being Resources
About this page on Travel and Traveller Well-being Resources
In this space on Travel Resource, you will find essential travel guides and tips to destinations I travel to so to aid your travel planning. This page will evolve as I endeavour to equip this space with information on immigration requirements, vaccinations which you may need to take when you visit a specific country together with customs and culture in a country that you need to be aware of. There are tips on saving money when travelling and ideas on city tours where these are good value for money. Along with this, you may also find information on best deals on flights, offers on luxury hotels and the opportunity to select the kind of accommodation you like – where you can design your vacation your way. In addition, if you want to minimise the hassle and just choose a destination and everything else in a package, for example, a beach holiday, I’ve got you covered there too. In a nutshell, EVERYTHING that I can possibly provide you with for a stress free and comfortable vacation for memories that will last a lifetime – my take on a traveller well-being.
1 | Etiquette, Customs and Culture of a Country as a Travel and Traveller Well-being Resource
As adventurers, it is important that we take into consideration the culture of a country we are visiting. What is acceptable in one culture may not be in another and it is important not to cause offence. Moreover, the language of a country may differ from region to region and a country may have more than one as its official language, such as in Canada, and Switzerland. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of differences.
Culture of Shintoism in Japan
One of these cultural etiquette differences which I came to witness was during my stay in Japan. There is a difference, though similar but different etiquette involved when visiting a shrine or a temple in Japan. Shintoism and Buddhism. If you are planning on visiting Japan and/or China, take a look at 5 Etiquette to observe at a Shinto shrine in Japan, a comprehensive travel resource which is, easy to observe, step-by-step guide for complete beginners.
If you want to dig deeper into this fascinating culture of Shintoism and its origins, there are several books written on this topic and I have carefully selected a few for you. Browse through the selection by navigating the links below.
People and Culture of Italy
The people and culture of Italy is one that you need not wait too long to experience when you visit this country. With roots going way back to the Roman Empire, and an innate culture to live life to the fullest, Italy’s rich culture is one associated with religion, family, etiquette and customs. Learn more about People and Culture of Italy from this overview.
2 | Travel Guides and Checklists on planning your stress free vacation are essential travel and traveller well-being resource
The guide on Travel Checklist – 25 top tips for a stress free vacation embodies a comprehensive list of “all possibilities” which you may need to know before you travel. If you are not one who prior plan your travels, you may change your mind after reading my 5 Reasons on Why travel planning is important – these together with One link to a 6-step guide to an awesome vacation makes a perfect travel resource for novice travellers.
3 | Travel Insurance – A Complete Guide
We don’t think about it. We all need travel insurance when we travel because we never know what will happen although we do not wish to think about it. There are circumstances when we will need the comfort of knowing that we are covered for damage to our priceless equipment like our cameras and hand phone or lost baggage.
I did a thorough research on Travel Insurance and I have put together a complete guide to the WHY, WHAT and the HOW – basically Everything you need to know to make an informed decision in choosing the Right policy cover for the Right price.
Learn more from All about Travel Insurance
4 | Travel resource on ways to saving money on tours and sight-seeing activities
On this page, you will also find money saving tips like getting an annual membership of the Historic Royal Palaces for only £53.00 where you can visit all 6 royal palaces as many times as you wish during your membership. There are many other benefits that comes along with this membership and you can read them here.
Another membership I would highly recommend is the English Heritage Membership which is a great value for money package. English Heritage is the guardian of some of the most treasured heritage in the UK such as Dover Castle, Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall and many more – some 400 historic properties across the country. For just £48 a year, you enjoy unlimited free entry to all designated properties, up to six children per accompanying adult and so much more for this unbelievable bargain.
Take a trip to Stonehenge, England through the lens of Timeless Travel Steps
Further to the National Heritage membership, you may wish to discover the hidden gems in Scotland more specifically and for this, National Trust for Scotland is a great opportunity to take advantage of. Their adult membership starts from £5.10 a month and seniors membership benefit from 20% discount, starting at £4.50 a month. National Trust for Scotland is the protector of 88 properties, 300,000+ artefacts and more than 76,000 hectares of countryside and gardens. Click on the image link below and find out more on the benefits you will receive by becoming a member.
Additionally, visiting a City can be expensive especially London, so being savvy with decisions on what works out cheaper by prior purchase makes sense. You would want to purchase the London Explorer Pass where you save as you go. You can save up to 35% on admission to your choice of 3, 4, 5, or 7 top London attractions at one low price that starts from £64.00 per person. You do not have to queue at the gate, you pay nothing additional at the gate, you choose as you go from a selection of over 20 attractions and tours. It is valid for 30-days. You receive instant confirmation and mobile or printed vouchers are acceptable. The beautiful thing about purchasing this Pass is that you can cancel up to 24-hours before the start of your activity.
Be informed and stay connected for the latest on events and offers.
5 | Suggested tour activities – good value for money travel resource
Regardless of whether you are living in London, the UK or you are visiting Britain as a tourist, it is prudent to save money wherever possible so you have more to explore the world with. Therefore, I will offer ideas towards booking some organised tours with tour partners such as Get Your Guide so your visit is comfortable and you get to see and experience the important landmarks in London and other destinations. Going on organised tours also offers an opportunity to soak up historical aspects as well as “inside information” which only the tour guides know!
There are some examples of tours offered by Get Your Guide, Viator, and G Adventures which I have carefully selected to enhance your experiences while visiting. Browse through the activities and select to suit – you may find them useful and good value for money.
What activities will you do at your destination?
6 | Where would you stay?
One huge consideration for me when I travel is the quality of accommodation. There are so many out there now, airbnb and hotels – both offer different experiences to suit. As for me, I have always relied on recommendations by local travel sites , booking dot com and trip advisor ratings. Luxury hotels are one of my prime interests and some of these are doable within my budget and I book these directly. Below I list the hotels I have personal experience of and the ones that are listed as Trip Advisor’s best for you to make an informed selection.
6.1 | Luxury hotels that offer perfection and excellence
In my past travels, I have had the opportunity to experience the perfection and excellence beyond my expectation in my stays with Marriott, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Shangri-La and Radisson. One of my favourite luxury hotels that I have used many times in the past is Radisson Blu, part of the Radisson Hotels chain.
About Radisson Hotels
Radisson Blu is an upper upscale brand and has over 230 hotels in 50 countries, across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Park Inn by Radisson is a mid-market hotel chain offering 3 and 4-star properties for both business and leisure travellers. There are more than 100 hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Radisson Red has the millennial lifestyle and is mainly new constructions in main cities and secondary markets such as Cape Town, Glasgow and Brussels. Radisson Collection Hotel is a collection of luxury hotels with a unique identity, personality and story. The hotels are located in Edinburgh, Muscat, Kuwait, Copenhagen and Stockholm .
6.2 | Luxury hotels that offer membership programs
Most luxury hotels offer points and membership benefits which makes long term relationship with them to be one that benefits me during selected travel plans. One example of a membership that benefits travellers is Millennium Copthorne.
About Millennium Copthorne Hotels & Resorts
Millennium Hotels & Resorts is one of the most renowned and biggest hotel chains around the world with 101 properties scattered all over North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Middle East, China and Taiwan where you can enjoy additional member discounts and special member rates.
6.3 | Region specific with a niche luxury hotels and resorts
There are some region specific hotels and resorts that catches my interests and recently, I have been looking at Centara Hotels & Resorts in South East Asia region.
About Centara Hotels & Resorts
Centara Hotels & Resorts offer a selection of 4 to 5 star accommodation in 40 hotels and resorts in prime destinations throughout Thailand, the Maldives, Oman, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Qatar, China, Indonesia, Laos and Turkey – which means they have something to suit every traveller from single, couples and families including honeymooners! Many of their resorts are multi-award winning properties, including the Lost World-themed Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya that has been recognised by TripAdvisor as The top Travellers’ Choice Family Hotel 2017 in Thailand, and second best in all of Asia. Read all current reviews by Trip Advisor on this hotel here. To get a best deal with this hotel chain, click on links below, see what they offer and it matches your needs.
6.4 | A hotel stay designed by bespoke elegance shaped by architecture and history
For an out of an ordinary stay where no two rooms are the same is offered by Hotel Du Vin.
About Hotel Du Vin
Hotel Du Vin offers 19 unique locations with it’s own classic and unforgettable experiences. They offer comfort along with style in their rooms, with a ‘lived in’ feel so you can feel right at home. Their bistro serve French classics with a British twist. You can find Hotel Du Vin around the UK such as Poole, Edinburgh, York, Tunbridge Wells, Glasgow, Cambridge, St Andrews, Winchester, Harrogate, Bristol, Henley-on-Thames, Cheltenham, Newcastle, Brighton, and Birmingham.
If all of the above does not quite meet your interests or you would still like to find out a bit more on what is out there for you as choices, you could always turn to booking dot com and/or TripAdvisor
6.5 | A one-search for a multitude of choices
About Booking
Booking offer a range of unique places to stay, from high-end luxury hotels to beach homes, city apartments, cozy chalets and bed & breakfast across 85,000 destinations in the world! Now, that is a lot of destinations and a lot of choices – in a nutshell, you can find anything you like to suit your needs.
The reason I use Booking purely because it is competitively priced and I choose from the multitude of choices it offers at a destination. The true attraction for me is that I can *cancel up to 24 hours before I am due to arrive at the accommodation if I find a better offer. Most accommodations are flexible and you only pay on arrival. For me, this is a win-win situation – I get what I want. Why don’t you have a go? Do a search below for your next destination and see what comes up.
Booking.comAbout TripAdvisor
Tripadvisor offers price comparison over over 200 sites worldwide and has over five hundred million reviews to help you make informed choices.
7 | Before finally…you probably need to get to your destination – here are some choices for you
For long haul travel, try the world renowned Etihad Airways. For short haul flights to Europe, try the people’s favourite, EasyJet. As well, you could explore Europe by train – Eurail or Interail. Along with all of these options, you could enjoy a quintessential journey by train of the English countryside.
7.1 | About Opodo
Opodo is the first Pan-European travel service offering a choice in over 500 airlines. They offer special fares to thousands of destinations where you fly for less.
8 | All in One
Choose the destination and everything is taken care of – Flights + Hotels + Transfers
On this, All-in-One type of holiday where you only need select your destination, you will find offers covering from high-end hotels and romantic destinations to family-friendly full-on adventure resorts. I have two choices here for you and hoping these travel resource will aide your selection of hassle free vacation.
Learn more, peruse choices and book a vacation to suit your style:
If you are looking for a beach holiday, look no further than On the Beach.
Finally…
Whatever you choose to do, do not forget travel insurance. This page will evolve as and when I discover, write and share new tips and tricks, tour ideas and travel related offers that may benefit you in your travel plans for your well-being. It is my greatest desire to create a platform where we can craft the most exceptional travel experiences with passion so that we can discover the most beautiful facets of destinations we travel to.
Sincerely hope that this post is valuable to you as a travel and traveller well-being resource. If so, please let me know in comments below or via Contact Form. Be sure to sign-up for the latest on Timeless Travel Steps so travel related information reaches your inbox.
Stay tuned.
Happy exploring the world!
February 2021, Update
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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain
